Jed Collins expected to meet with Lions on Wednesday

The Lions haven’t used a fullback on offense in several years, but there’s a new coaching staff in place and they’re bringing a new approach with them.

Detroit met with fullback Henry Hynoski earlier in free agency before Hynoski returned to the Giants and Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports that another candidate for the job is coming in on Wednesday. Jed Collins is expected to visit with the team, although he’s already very familiar with offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi.

Lombardi was the quarterbacks coach in New Orleans before jumping to Detroit to be part of head coach Jim Caldwell’s staff and Collins spent the last three years as a member of the Saints backfield. Collins carried the ball just 19 times over that span, but caught 14 passes in each of the last two years when he wasn’t opening holes for Saints tailbacks.

Collins was non-tendered by the Saints as a restricted free agent and the Saints signed former Buccaneer fullback Erik Lorig on Tuesday to replace him on the roster.

Why don’t the Lions take a look at Zach Boren? He’s probably one of the most athletic guys to ever play fullback. Unfortunately for him a desire to play in the NFL left him switching to LB at the end of his college career. Last I heard he was only signed to a reserve/futures contract with the Chargers as a LB. Isn’t that the same as being on the practice squad? He would be a fantastic FB in the Lions new offense